Body size preferences among Kuwaiti men and women : socio-cultural study

Abstract EN

Objectives: The aim of this study is to identify the effect of socio-cultural changes concerning body size preferences among Kuwaiti men and women from a medical anthropological perspective.

Method: A total of 1,229 participants (645 males & 584 females) were selected by using nonrandom on-purpose sampling.

The questionnaire included socio-demo- graphic questions and body type Silhouette with its nine body shapes.

The study depended on the following statistical means: frequencies and percentages (Descriptive statistic), relation-factor test to measure differences among variables, t-test to measure the relation between the variables, ANOVA test to measure the relationship and differences between averages of socio- demographic variables of the study sample and the preferable body type for marriage.

Results: The data shows a significant difference was found among men’s age categories, education levels, economic status, BMI (P < 0.05) religious sect, and ethnic root (P < 0.00l).

And significant differences were found between preferred body size and women’s education levels (P < 0.05), marital status, BMI, ethnic root, and religious sect (P < 0.00l).

Conclusion: Individuals’ marriage preferences vary across cultures due to sociological, economical, and cultural factors.